1. Field of Invention
This invention is related to platen covers and their use in image capture devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Image capture devices read information from an original image to generate electronic data representing the captured original image. The original image is placed on a transparent platen. The transparent platen is covered by a platen cover. Light, from a light source, traverses through the transparent platen and onto the original image. The light reflections and intensities contain information about the original image. This light is usually focused onto the surface of a photosensitive element. There, the light is turned into electrical signals. These signals are then output to a storage device or to an image generating system or device.
During the operation of copiers and other image capture devices, a document is laid on or fed onto a transparent platen and is covered by a platen cover. The platen cover aides in retaining the position of the document on the transparent platen. When copying large or thick documents, such as a book, the platen cover helps to prevent the rays of light from striking the operators"" eyes. The platen cover is also used to aid in capturing information, particularly scan and image quality features. These include aiding in determining paper boundaries and size, in background suppression and in photo screening, to detecting colors. Using a different color and/or a different surface for the platen cover can improve each of these scan and image quality features. However, most copiers and other image capture devices only provide a platen cover using a single color, which is usually white.
This invention provides image capturing systems and methods that improve the quality of certain features that are platen-cover dependent.
This invention separately provides image capturing systems and methods that provide a removable platen cover that allows different platen cover colors and/or surfaces to be used.
This invention separately provides image capturing systems and methods that provide a set of one or more retractable platen covers, each having a different color and/or surface.
This invention separately provides systems and methods that automatically change the platen cover and/or surface based on the selected image capture operations.
In various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this invention, platen covers of various colors and/or surfaces are provided that correspond to the various scan and image quality features that can be obtained. For example, document size determination works best with a gray platen cover, automatic background suppression and photo screening work best with a white cover, and detecting colors, works best with mirrored surface covers.
In various exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this invention, a removable snap-on platen cover is used to change the platen cover to a desired color and/or surface. The platen cover has different unchangeable colors and/or surfaces on each side. If it is desirable to provide more than two colors and/or surfaces, several interchangeable platen covers that corresponds to the various desired colors and/or surfaces can be provided. In various exemplary embodiments, during an image capture operation, the system can inform the operator of the appropriate platen color and/or surface for that operation. If that platen cover is not already installed, the operator can then easily and quickly change to the appropriate platen cover.
In other exemplary embodiments of the systems and methods according to this invention, one or more retractable platen covers is used. Each retractable platen cover has a different color and/or surface. The system chooses which platen cover to put in place based on the operation being performed or a user selection.
These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in or are apparent from the following detailed description of the apparatus/systems and methods according to this invention.